the workshop thread

Workshops
Initial ideas for workshops include zine readings, film showings, screen printing, the production of a communal zine, zine making, discussions including mini zines and sexuality zines and possibly kitchen sessions.

Now the Cowley Club is confirmed for Feb21, we can start to discuss workshops more seriously. I'm not really sure how many we can squeeze in and also if we also plan to do workshops on the stage at the zinefest ... So let me now your thoughts on that...

Replies to This Discussion

My ideas for workshops so far include (in addition to what we already said):

Beginner's guide to zinemaking (a howto session basically)

Queer workshop which perhaps a friend of mine would be interested to do

And i have asked a couple of peeps about other things (to be disclosed!!)

I am imagining if we have the cowley full space, we could have workshops in the library for 4-6 people, in the backroom for 10-20 people and more informal stuff in the bar area from 1 til 6, so that would be 5 hours, maximum 15 sessions. Some of which could be films..

The communal zine idea would be for sunday i think, although i guess people could also make stuff saturday. I would like to talk about that at the meeting, becuase although the one in mulheim was not edited and it worked out ok, i think i would rather have a smaller, tighter edited version - but im well up for discussing the pros and cons...

Screenprinting - Mark Pavey is very keen for this and does it very well.

Vegan Cooking - Isy is keen to do this but says the Cowley kitchen is not ideal but would be happy to do some more theory based stuff on the Sat and maybe something in the Westhill Kitchen on the Sunday? Or could do some cold food cooking on the Sat in the backroom?

Films! - I'm pretty sure the Cowley has a projector but if not I can get one, the back builiding would make an ace mini-cinema (popcorn machine..!). There's a few good films on zines about and the new Plan-It-X Movie from Microcosm

Zine Readings? I know Phil from Pilger/Facial Disobidience zine is good for these and I'm sure there's loads more southcoast folk who do zines who'd be keen (Emma's stories in her zines are ace!)

Did we make a decision about workshops on the stage in Westhill? I'm not totally convinced myself as may be quite hard to hear but whatever people think?

workshops on stage obviously depend upon seeing the layout of the venue when we get there, however if there are curtains the stage could be split off from the main area creating a separate room and I don't see why we couldn't use that. I think all the workshop ideas we came up with have been replicated on here and I don't have any other ideas at the moment.

As for communal zine I think people can make contributions on each da and that its important to not heavily edit as if we plan to sell copies of it afterwards to people who contributed they'll be pretty disappointed if their stuff isn't in it. We'll need to monitor content so that all racist/sexist etc contributions are excluded

Toby said:

Good stuff keep the ball rolling! My ideas:

Screenprinting - Mark Pavey is very keen for this and does it very well.

Vegan Cooking - Isy is keen to do this but says the Cowley kitchen is not ideal but would be happy to do some more theory based stuff on the Sat and maybe something in the Westhill Kitchen on the Sunday? Or could do some cold food cooking on the Sat in the backroom?

Films! - I'm pretty sure the Cowley has a projector but if not I can get one, the back builiding would make an ace mini-cinema (popcorn machine..!). There's a few good films on zines about and the new Plan-It-X Movie from Microcosm

Zine Readings? I know Phil from Pilger/Facial Disobidience zine is good for these and I'm sure there's loads more southcoast folk who do zines who'd be keen (Emma's stories in her zines are ace!)

Did we make a decision about workshops on the stage in Westhill? I'm not totally convinced myself as may be quite hard to hear but whatever people think?

I have $100 dollar and a t-shirt and it's really good! Those other's sound good too, another good one might be the Planet X Records documentary if it's out by then. My brother works in TV/Sound editing and does occasional videoing stuff so I could ask him if he could get some equipment to film/edit?

Thats pretty random Ellie as I just got given an electric typewriter by someone at work who was clearing their house out! Cowley want to know soonish but I don't think it's anything to worry about too much, I guess it would be good if we can have them decided upon by the end of our next meeting?

I had some other ideas..!

Bookbinding (does anyone know anyone who's an expert in any way at this?)
Comic/Graphic Novel making/how to draw (Dan & Ian from Bastion/Underfire Comics said they would be keen to do this on the Sunday as an ongoing thing if they have a distro table to show people how to draw, tips on small press etc) as they're not about on the Sat.
Radio - could have the people from 730 Records who do podcasts come and show how to set up your own podcasts?

also if edd from last hours is coming down he may be able to book binding...i know he did some for some of his masters project.

Toby said:

Thats pretty random Ellie as I just got given an electric typewriter by someone at work who was clearing their house out! Cowley want to know soonish but I don't think it's anything to worry about too much, I guess it would be good if we can have them decided upon by the end of our next meeting?

I had some other ideas..!

Bookbinding (does anyone know anyone who's an expert in any way at this?)
Comic/Graphic Novel making/how to draw (Dan & Ian from Bastion/Underfire Comics said they would be keen to do this on the Sunday as an ongoing thing if they have a distro table to show people how to draw, tips on small press etc) as they're not about on the Sat.
Radio - could have the people from 730 Records who do podcasts come and show how to set up your own podcasts?

i agree making the backroom for movies would be nice, but then we dont have much space for workshops - only the library if we can use it, and its also quite small and then the main space..... maybe movies starting in the evening?

by the way, anyone interested in the vegan roast on sunday at the cowley? starts at 2, im probably going but would be happy to make a firm plan...

Ellie said:

I think with regard to the split of the days, we should only have the communal zine and cooking in the kitchen on sunday and keep any other workshops to the saturday. we do have quite a bit of space and time on saturday so doing workshops both days could be a bit much, not least in thinking of ideas for workshops. on sunday, what with the zines, the bands, the cooking, the communal zine, the random badge makers and tombolas, i think there will be enough going on and i reckons it will also be well noisy.

all the workshop ideas so far suggested are fine by me. i think we should dedicate the back room at the cowley to films cus its nice and windowless, although we might wanna arrange some cushions to sit on as i don't recall there being chairs in there. i find out abotu the projector if you like, i'm pretty sure they have one there as well.

i can't think of any other workshop ideas at the moment except maybe some thing craft based or illustration/design based..perhaps on of the bright uni art students, or a group of them could help with that?

oh also, with regard to the communal zine, can we get a photopcier to the venue, mujinga did you say a friend of yours had one? and also, i think it would be best if we just closed submissions an hour before the end and then one or two people could organise it, do a brief read through and whack it in the copier.

That is a good point about space, there will be a gig in the evening which will mean needing to set up from around 5.30/6 so perhaps we could use the back room for films from 3/4 as if we have two films starting from 3 we could get them both done before the gig starts? Wouldn't be much of a change over as if we get projector sorted in the morning we'd just need to sort chairs out?

The backspace where the gigs are is actually pretty good for running workshops so could have two spaces during the day - back room/cinema bit and then the main room? That would mean time wise: